The present invention relates to topical compositions that include acetylsalicylic acid. Examples of topical compositions according to this invention include deodorants, sunscreens and nail hardeners.
Antiperspirant and deodorant formulations typically rely on the use of alum, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohdrex gly, and aluminum chlorohydrate as the active ingredients. Although aluminum chlorohydrate based products can be highly effective, some people are concerned that with daily use, the aluminum chlorohydrate is absorbed into the body, which might be detrimental to health. The aluminum-based compounds may react in the body in undesired ways.
Other topical compositions suffer from similar problems. For example, fingernail faces and polishes have the unfortunate effect of drying, yellowing and making the fingernails brittle, split and cracked. Typical techniques for dealing with unattractive and weak fingernails have involved either covering the problem nails, e.g., by applying acrylic to the nails and shaping them, or attempting to supply desired components, e.g., vitamins, moistening oils, minerals and the like, to the nails by applying nail polishes and/or hardeners containing such ingredients. The former solution, however, is relatively costly, employs strong smelling chemicals, and must be refilled in near the cuticle as the nail grows out. The latter, on the other hand, solution has failed to adequately improve the condition of the fingernail. Thus, the need still exists for an improved composition for hardening problem fingernails.
Sun-tanning products are well known in the art. Such products seek to minimize the damaging effects of sunlight on skin through the use of sunscreen formulations. These formulations which are generally based on an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion system, suffer from a variety of disadvantages such as inefficient U.V. protection, chemical and physical instability, as well as unattractive aesthetic properties when applied to the skin. Thus, the art continues to seek to provide improved sunscreen formulations.
Among other aspects, the present invention is based upon the surprising discovery that acetylsalicylic acid-containing compositions according to the invention are capable of being used as topical formulations for a variety of purposes. In particular, the topical compositions according to the present invention can be effectively employed in deodorant, nail hardening, and sunscreen/sunblock environments.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a topical composition comprising an active component which is acetylsalicylic acid, a solvent mixture comprising propylene glycol, glycerine, isopropyl alcohol and optionally, alcohols such as ethanol, and/or water, and at least one silicone additive.
In another aspect, the invention relates to deodorants, nail hardeners, and sunscreen products that employ acetylsalicylic acid as an active component in a solvent mixture.
These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the specification and claims that follow.